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To: Pollard
Still need to buy more frame but I figured it's time to price wiggle wire and track which is the only thing I hadn't priced yet.

Tunnel Vision(6.0') and Boostrap Farmer(6.5') are the cheapest wire/track combos and they're sold in qty of 10s basically. Can also buy them individually or BS farmer has a four pack. I need a minimum 228' which would be 35 pcs at 6.5' and 38 @ 6'. Might as well do the 40 pcs(240' or 260') since your always supposed to add an extra 15% for scrap. (228 + 15% = 260.2)

Tunnel Vision $244.30 + $65.99 shipping = $310.29 (240')

BootStrap $331.98 (free shipping) (260')

Just did the rest of the math based on 240' vs 260' and BS farmer is 2 cents less per foot. $1.27 vs $1.29

Bootstrap Farmer has PVC coated wiggle wire that's supposed to be a little nicer on the plastic. I would think it would be a little grippier too. They seem to put a lot of thought into their products, probably because they're farmers and use the stuff. The 6.5' works out perfect for that 15% extra.

6 mil poly film from bootstrap

32x40 for top $172.99
16x40 for sides $97.99
16x30 for ends $87.99

Plastic $358.97 + wiggle wire - $331.98 (free shipping on all)


Throw some of these in there and call it $730 - They mate 2 pieces of chain link top rail at 90 degrees.

Actually need the brackets asap so I'll buy those today. Already found fence parts that fit my trusses. Come to find out, my frame is the same diameter as a chain link fence post, 2-3/8".

Bootstrap sells these but I've got a vise, hammer and drill so I can do the same to the ends of my cross braces, albeit not as pretty.

And last but not least is a smaller version of the bracket already on the tunnel frame but it fits the top rail.

I'll be able to do the angled pieces from the 1-3/8" cross members to the 2-3/8"frame to make an actual truss. The horizontal piece will be closer to the ground on mine. Close enough to reach and hang vines on lean and lower from lengthwise pieces or wire attached to them.

I just now found that last bracket($1.27 ea) and 90 degree cross bracket($2.41) this morning. I love it when a plan comes together. (See, I did work on the tunnel today:) On any of those band straps for the truss pieces, I'll be running 1-2 screws through them into the pipe so they'll never slide.


Need 6 linear actuators at $150 ea.

Then there's gable vents to start thinking about. I can get 18" square with louvers that open/close for $75 ea. Two of the linear actuators will open/close the vents.

The purpose made item is $186 and it's 120 VAC. I'd rather deal with the 12 vdc actuators.

12 VDC Actuators - IP65 rated which means they can get rained on.(and they look way cooler)

I'll be making my own brackets or finding something cheaper because dayum they proud of those things.


Then more drip system stuff, lean and lower components, shade cloth, row covers, wiring components, more input/output modules.

Just another $3,100 to go. Yep, gonna take the rest of the year @ $440/month. Frame next month. Wiggle wire/track June. Plastic July. Shade cloth asap after that. Sides will be open day and night from then until I get the actuators which will take the rest of July and August. Then it's gable vents and the wiring/automation stuff. Should be buttoned up by my Birthday in late Nov.

Next year's project is fixing up one of these 1950 Chevy trucks I have. Sell it use the money for the big project, building a real house.


Finally got some wind to read. Initially, the log graph shows the last 24 hours

Saw that spike so I zoomed in to last night 6:40pm to 8:00 pm. A 48 mph gust at 6:54pm out of no where with a couple of 16 mph gusts right after. Must have been a little funnel trying to start up. Surprised we didn't hear it.

I've got it set to take a log when the wind changes by 3 mph or more because there wasn't much wind last weekend when I put it up. I need to change it to take a log when the wind changes by 7 mph or more or maybe 10 mph. That will make the graph easier to look at. The 3 cup anemometer doesn't start spinning until 3 mph.

On the real time monitor page, I've been looking at 0.0 mph all week every time I happened to look at it. I could see 5mph on the log. Nice to finally see a live reading now. Up until the day I installed it, we had 10, 20, 30 mph winds all the time for the past several months. Installed the anemometer and wind became 0-5 mph. Maybe I'll wait on installing the rain gauge so I don't put us into a Spring drought. Then again, I wouldn't have to take the long way out/in.

If I were ever to buy a high tunnel kit, it would be this 20' wide model from Tunnel Vision because it just looks aesthetically pleasing to me. Height vs width vs shape.

Four Seasons Farms(Elliot Coleman) has two 30x48 mobile tunnels made by Tunnel Vision.

434 posted on 04/28/2024 10:59:15 AM PDT by Pollard (That's a really long post dude. You expect me to read all that?)
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To: Pollard

You are gettin’ ‘er done! Those high tunnels are the thing for extending the season - even growing year-round - and producing an amazing amount of food for fun and/or profit!


440 posted on 04/28/2024 6:46:12 PM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have, 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust Post-Apocalyptic skill set. )
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